Big money, quality of life at stake

Tuesday

Mar 11, 2014 at 2:00 AM

Across the Seacoast, voters go to the polls today to elect their local leaders, to decide whether to fund major construction projects and to approve or reject numerous changes to local laws and governance.

Across the Seacoast, voters go to the polls today to elect their local leaders, to decide whether to fund major construction projects and to approve or reject numerous changes to local laws and governance.

While most towns have contests for seats on local school and municipal boards, the fiercest debate in all towns is focused on multimillion-dollar building projects, which supporters argue are essential to quality of life and opponents say are poorly planned or simply too expensive for taxpayers to bear.

Whether it is a proposal for a $45 million junior-senior high school in Newmarket, $6.6 million for an addition to the Lincoln Akerman School in Hampton Falls, or $5.79 million for a new municipal complex in North Hampton, millions of dollars are on the line and emotions are running high.

We urge citizens to get out and vote, but once the votes are tallied, regardless of the outcome, it will be important for citizens on both sides of these local debates to unite and work together to make their hometowns the best they can be.

Rye's top money question seeks $3 million for land conservation for the future acquisition of easements and open space. A $250,000 question would fund final plans for Town Hall improvements. Article 23 would impose rules on beach usage and has passionate supporters and detractors.

Rye's contested race for the Board of Selectmen has 22-year incumbent Joe Mills facing off against Mae Bradshaw, a lawyer seeking a seat on the board for the first time. Mills has said he is running on his record of low taxes and beach access for all; Bradshaw has said she wants to increase government transparency and citizen participation in local decision making.

In Greenland, incumbent Selectman Kevin Forrest is facing a challenge from Stephen Gerrato, a member of the Budget Committee and Planning Board alternate, and John McDevitt, who has served on the town's Planning Board for 10 years. Greenland has contested races for its planning, school and zoning boards.

In Newington, voters will be asked whether they support eliminating the town planner position currently held by Tom Morgan and to contract instead with the Rockingham Planning Commission.

As in Rye, government transparency is a topic in the contested race for Newington selectman. Incumbent Cosmas Iocovozzi is being challenged for a three-year term by Melissa Prefontaine, chairwoman of the Newington Library Trustees. Incumbent Rick Stern is being challenged for a two-year seat by Diana Moulton, a member of the town Recreation Committee and chairwoman of the Newington School Supporters, who said: "My goal is to make our meetings as accessible as possible for everyone."

Newington also has contested races for Planning Board and School Board.

Hampton has nine candidates seeking seats on the Board of Selectmen, six vying for two three-year seats and three vying for a single one-year seat. Voters in Hampton also face a whopping 49 ballot questions addressing everything from commercial trash pickup to building heights at the beach.

Exeter also has a contested race for selectman and a ballot question on whether to spend $1.7 million to remove Great Dam.

While national and statewide elections tend to draw far larger turnouts, decisions made at local elections often have a far greater impact on citizens' overall tax burden and quality of life.

We encourage voters in all Seacoast communities holding elections today to go to the polls and help shape the future of your hometown.

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